Northeast Arts Board of Directors presents
Cradle
A celebration of our upcoming expansion
Brief Comments
Welcome to Northeast Arts last production at 85 Seaverns Avenue. We are happy to have you here. This is a short program tonight, highlighting our mission, who we are and what we do. It’s also a fundraiser, and we are well aware that each and every one of you has made wonderful contributions to our community.
As you know, we are expanding into a new space with evening and weekend hours - and a newly installed sprung floor! Any monetary contribution made tonight, will go towards the floor and new locks for the doors. However, the non-monetary support is equally as important, if not more. Every time you smile and welcome someone, encourage a fellow dancer share you ideas or stick around to chat, you are helping our community become stronger. Every time you pick something up off the floor or put away a lost item, volunteer to help out with something, tell someone about our classes or interact with ur social media accounts, you are helping our community. That’s a community we need now more than ever. We need people we can rely on.
Tonight’s program starts with adult dancers from Janelle Gilchrist Dance Troupe’s Community Ensemble. Why adult learners? One of the pillars of Northeast Arts mission is to hold dance and wellness classes that are open to the community so a big part of our programming focuses on clear, meaningful instruction in dance and somatic for adult learners. Adults nee time to create, enjoy, and move our bodies to take care of ourselves because we are responsible for jobs, families and civic duties outside of the studio. Finding art and a supportive group of other learners is important for our health and well-being.
Let’s welcome JGDT Community Ensemble, followed by three classical variations danced by professionals.
Before the second half of our show, I’d like to thank and recognize our Board of Directors. Without them, this expansion would be impossible. Please recognize Board Chair Bonny Saulnier, Boris Richir, Kevin Nason, Kylah Clay and Juliet Brown for their intrepid work and undying support of this organization..
I enjoy working with adult learners because I was an adult beginner before returning to professional dance. I was standing over there at a barre with Gino, when he said I should audition for Urban Nutcracker. So I bought a pair of pointe shoes, and six weeks later showed up at the audition, where I began to meet and perform with the small but fearless groups of Boston based professional freelance dancers. Now, it’s another pillar of Northeast Arts to support that community with resources such as high-quality performance and rehearsal space, professional level classes and wellness resources such as physical therapy and access to discounted coaching in nutrition and self-care. All of the professionals and choreographers here tonight are donating their time for rehearsal and performance to support Northeast Arts expansion. Thank you.
Our last pieces tonight feature Boston based artists. You’ll see two favorites from our recurring series of “Portraits of Women,” solo piece by guest artist Casey O’Donnell of United Dance Company, and a piece by Gianni Di Marco capturing the unique bond of love and support often felt by female dancers among peers.
Special Thanks - Hope Central Church, Kevin Nason, Bonny Saulnier, Boris Richir, Patrick Yocum, Ken Pierce, Jaime Reyes, Juliet Brown, Gianni di Marco, Morgan Brown Sanborn, Evelyn Reyes, Brassica Kitchen and Cafe, Samia Companies, Norie Nishizawa, Janelle Gilchrist, Jane Bieber, Kendra Frank, Teresa House, Erica Schwartz, Janelle Gilchrist, Aileen Po, Mark Ravinsky, State Street Bank, all the dancers.